Nigeria

Photo Credit:
Heather Darby

Overview

The Population Council has been working in partnership with government ministries and health organizations in Nigeria since the 1960s. The Council established a country office in 2006 and has since expanded its research portfolio to address HIV and AIDS among key populations, maternal mortality and morbidity, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, and child marriage.

The Population Council pioneered research on the HIV risk of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Nigeria, the findings of which influenced policy and program initiatives in the country’s HIV prevention, care, and treatment response. It has established a nationwide network that seeks to avert HIV infections among MSM.

The Council works to improve the sexual and reproductive health of young people in Nigeria, particularly vulnerable adolescent girls. It is committed to building girls’ life skills and improving health outcomes through Safe Spaces programs and programs to delay or prevent child marriage. It also builds the capacity of local organizations to address health and education issues in their communities.

Featured Work

The three-month progesterone contraceptive vaginal ring (CVR) provides breastfeeding women with an effective, user-initiated contraceptive option. This study explores the opportunities for and barriers to the ring’s introduction in sub-Saharan Africa.